Decoy hobble



Nov. 15, 1932. D. 11.. JH'NN 1,887,491

DEGOY HOBBLE Filed Feb. 21. 1929 WITNESSES IN VEN TOR:

A TTORNEYS.

JJaz/OZ L- Johnson,

Patemed Nov. 1'5, 1932 I z v `imvin LJoH'NsoN, or' ooE'AN ei'rY, 'RYLAN f -DEcoY Hoii'nn' Application filed February 21;21929, .Serial No. 841 ;6"72.4 w This invention has reference to tethering son's, one. to hold the decoy and the 'other to1 oranchoring means, of the typeadapted for apply andsecure `the hobb1e;`while at the application to the legs of live birds, .stoo1ed end of the season the hobbles are destroyed or set out as decoys to attract wild fowl 'to incident to being cutaway. ,-Slip-noose hobbeshot by vgunnersfromfaJ concealed blind, bles ,ar'e required to have a total lengthsufli- 55 sink-box, or other hidden location. Cient to spreadthe loop wide enough to pass' Ordinarily 'such devices or *ho'bbles are over the extended spreadof' the foot offthe usedfto anchor decoy ducks, brant or .geese, decoy, andl such hobbles, therefore,have to to attract their kindre'd Wild species, both be put on andtakenoif each time a Vdecoyzis 10 'over'shoals as well as in deeper Water. Geese sto'oled out. Consequently, such hobbles are 69 are sometimes anchored to the shore or on So llong thatthey cannot be put on' the decoy land, being secured by appropriate tethering at the beginning of the shooting season and to, stakes driven in the-ground, or the bed.V lefton until the Vseason closes. ofshoal water; whereas when used in de'ep j The primary object of my invention'isto :1.5 yvater they are secured to Weights or anchors. overCOIIle allthe noted objections by,l` provid- 65 `'Ducks and brantare usually set out on shoals ing a jrfemovable hobble which -can be easily rdeep water by stakes or anchorvveights.` 1 snapped around the leg ofl a-decoy, by` one ';Decoys are employed 'only z for a limited person, and' remaini secure in place during the period ,of the shooting season in lvarious gunning season, Withoutinzanyvvay impairpartsofthe country, and for the Vrest of the ing' the` decoyls activity; and, justyas readily '7-0 year; are allowed togroam at large; or, .they detachedatfithe end of said season. i are kept in pens. During the gunning seavVViththe stated object in view, vmy Invenson they are invariablykept in pens and cartion essentially consists of a fiexible, nonriedV for convenience, usually by boat, to the abrasive Strap with male and vfemale snap lQcation where the *shoot is to take place. Componentsattheopposed ends, one ofj said There they are put overboard and secured Components' serving to permanentl7 secure .Within range of the guns, ordinarily being an attaching ring in a retroverted end of the t stooledllout before dawn'with the gunners Strap. v

concealed by that time. In the accompanying drawing: V Hobbles for the noted purposes have been F ig. I is a view illustrating a decoy anlof varied types but many of them have had chored by means of a device 'including my attendant disadvantages which Iv aim to novelv hobble,v i i Veliminate.V For example, a hobble; attached Fig. II is an inside plan vievvofl the hob- :about the 'neck of a decoy causes said decoy ble in extended position. V; V toact in an unnatural manner VWhen stooled ZFig. III is a view of the hobble in closed or out, Va-s-Well as necessitating lits .application vactive position .WithA a'fragmentary portion and removal levery time the fowl was used. of a tethering connector attached thereto- Hobbles made of Wire have been common, Fig. V'is a plan l,view ofthe deviceas ibut theyfquickly deteriorate in use and fre- `vievved from above the preceding illustration,

quentlycause injury to the leg of the decoy, Withthe tethering connector removed; and, afterwhich said decoybecomes uselessfor Fig. V is a sectioon the line V-V of fur'ther shoots. Other jhobbles have been Fig. IV.- 1 secured by penetration of the Web of the de- Referring more in detail to the drawin'g, coylsxfoot, but such method is cruel and inmy novel hobble Vl consists ofashort strap i efficient as :itimpairs swiniming movementz or length of flexible,:non-abrasivelmaterial, 395

4Still other hobbles are riveted about the legs such as leather or. the bettergradesofrawof the decoys at the commencem'ent of. the vhide having `the respective'ends v2, 'conven- Vg'iin'ni'ng season and cut at the end of such niently rounded to givea nevat finish.V `To one season, but this. manne'i'` of securing hobbles end 2, for example, of the hobble strap 1, I

in place requires the employment of two .per- .secure the female component` 4 of a convenimo tional snap Oarr fastener, the same including a split spring-ring 5 located in the beadbe best seen from Fig; V, consists of ashank. portion 10, and a clamping' piece 11, with the' former fiared-over orl riveted to the latter.-

at 12, whereby a firm and secure attachment erably, make the ring 7 and the snap fastener componentsof non-corrodible material. The loop at 8 may be retroverted to either side of the Strap;

In use, my improved hobble is easily attached around one'leg-l of the decoy 14, by bringing the male ,component 9'into snap engagement with the vfemale component 4, whereupon said parts aresecurely locked by the spring-ring 5, in an obvious manner. The swivel snap-hook 15, of the tethering line 16, is next attached to the connector ring 7, whereupon the decoy 14 is put voverboard into the water, and it will be apparent that, if

, the tethering linel16 be attached to an anchor weight, 17, for example, that said decoy is free to swim around 'with perfect ease and 'comfort. The 'same is true when the line 16 is attaclied to a long line, anchored at both ends, and provided 'With snap-hook lines for a dozen or more decoys. '1 5 W ,The total length ofmy hobble is very short vby reason of its construction, connections and thelmanner of attachment. This is of primary importance as it permits the hobble to be put on the decoys leg'at the lbeginning of the shooting season and toremain on the leg for the months of the season (while adapted to be removed at any desired time), for the reason that this constructionpermitsa decoy, when at large on the land, or in the pen during thetimes such decoy is not stooled out, to move about freely without impediment or injury by being caught fast on something which entangles thehobble.

From the foregoing it is thought my invention will be well understood, but it is desired to herein enumerate some of its advantages. Firstly one person can easily apply the hobbles 1 to as many /de'coys as des'ired atthe commence'ment of the gunning season, -and just as readily remove the same at the end thereof. Secondly, the hobble 1 is construc-ted of materials and applied in a man- `n'er that 1n no way impalrs the movements of thed'e'coy 14 either in, or out of, the water. Thirdly, one man` can'stool out the live Vdecoys before the shooting and cany take them Vup'after the shootingwhile slip-noose hobbles require two men, -in stooling out and 'taking up 'each day, one to hold the decoy and another to hold the leg With one hand spread foot, if a number of decoys are to be stooled out. And lastly my improved hobble 1 does -not have to' be put on and taken off each timethe decoy 14 istaken out for ai shoot; while at the end of the season, when removed, it can bev savedfor a later season) withoutdeterioratioin thereby elfecting considerableeconomy as compared with devices I of an `.analogous character heretofore em- Vployed; My hobble is particularly adapted is made. It is also to be'noted that 1.,.preffor use when a large n umber of live decoys are to be stooled out at one blind, or a number of bllnds, and 1n suchv clrcumstances' may save asmuch as several hours ,of-;time by reason of the speedl in stoolingrv out by one man. z:

` Having thus described my invention, I i' 1. A hobble for setting out live decoys for wild-fowl comprising a fieXible, non-abrasive strap, a snap-clasp With male and female members on the strap, one member vof the clasp at one extremity of the strap, the opposite member at a point lengthwise of the `str'ap to forma. loop of fixed circumference adapted snugly to encircle the leg of the decoy when the clasp is closed, a loop atth other end of the`strap,a ring in said loop adapted to'receivethe liook of a swiveled snap-hook attached to a tethering line, -the strap and ring having a total 'length to permit free movement of the decoy while fattached to the leg and detached from the snaphook and =anchor line.

12. A hobble for setting out live decoys for wild-fowl comprising a'fle'xible, non-abrasive :i strap, a snap-clasp with male *and female members on the strap, one member of'the clasp at one extreniity of the strap, the opposite member at a point lengthwise of the cumference adapted snugly to encircle the leg of the: decoy when the clasp is closed, a

retroverted 'loop at the other 'end of the Strap formed by riveting the extremity of that erid'of the 'strap to the strap by the second- 3 .115

mentioned clasp member' where its shank passes through the strap, airing in said loop adaptedV to receive the hook of a swiv'eled snap-hook attached to a tethering line, 'the strap and ring having a'total length to permit free movement of the decoywhile attached to the leg and detached fromthe Snaphook, and anchor line V w i.

1 3. A new article of manufacture consisting of a hobble forlive decoys for wild-fowlg F ao I 'strap to form a loop of 'predetermin'ed ciri.

fixed circumference around the zleg, vmeans at the last mentioned end for attachment to a tetherng line, and having a total length permttng free movement of the live' deeoy when at largewhile attached to the leg and detaehed from the tethering line during the shooting season.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto sgned my name at Philadelphia, Penna., this 19th day of February, 1929. i DAVID Lf JOHNSON. 

